Receptacle-inverting apparatus.



G. D.. PARKER. RECEPTACLE INVEHHNG APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 12- I916.

' Patented Feb. '25, 1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEEP] v INVENTOR.

WITNESS V ATTORNEYS e. 0., PAR ER. RECEPIACLE IN VERHNG APPARATUS. I APPLIQATION FILED SEPT. 121 1916.

1,295,195. Patented Feb. 25, 1919 4 SHEETSSHEETVZ- a r 5 a I 3 q 3? m f 4-3- 6 2 64 46 38 I a x 4/ I 7 I I 67 5e 48 11 o I k INVENTOR! m @MA W ATTORNEYS GAD. PARKER. RECEPTACLE INVERTING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 12, me. 1,295,195.

Patented Feb. 25, 1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3- WITNESS INVENTOR A TTORNE Y5 G. D. PARKER.

RECEPTACLE INVERTING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 12. 1916.

Patented Feb. 25, 1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

INVENTOR. 7

@Wrw

A TTORNE Y5 WITNESS GEORGE ID. PARKER, OF RIVERSIDE, GALIFORN IA.

BECEPTACLE-INVERTI ENG APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Feb. 25, 1919.

Application filed September 12, 1916. Serial No. 119,732.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LGEORGE D. PARKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Riverside, in the county of Riverside and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Receptacle-Inverting Apparatus, of which the following is a specification. 4

The present invention relates to an apparatus for invertmg boxes 01' receptacles to dump the contents therefrom, and is more particularly designed for use in the fruit. packing industry to dum the fruit, such as oranges, lemons, and the like, from boxes or receptacles, preferably as delivered to the packing houses for the treatment, sizing or grading of the fruit prior to the final packing thereof, and the invention has for its principal objects. to provide an apparatus which is low to the ground, thereby dispensing with the present elevating mechanism for raising the filled receptacles to the dumping or inverting devices; one wherein the filled receptacles are automatically con-, "eyed to a sultable invert-mg mechanism and.

are successively removed therefrom and the contents thereof dumped; one provlded with means for disposing of the receptacles after thecontents have been emptied therefrom,-

and one rovided with means controlled by the positioned filled receptacle for actuating connections to cause the operation of the inverting means." I

The invention consists broadly in a runwav having a portion adapted for receiving the filled receptacles and a portion for dis-' charging the emptied receptacles-to a suitable place of deposit, and having means intermediate said portionsfor inverting the filled receptacles as conveyed to dump the contents therefrom and for depositing the inverted receptacles onto said receptacle discharge portion.

With the above mentioned and otherobj ects I in View, the'invention consists in the novel construction andcombination of parts hereinscope of the claims may be resorted to without departing from the spir tor sacrificing after described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims hereto appended; it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction within the vany of the advantages of the invention.

To more fully comprehend the invention, reference is directed to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure-1 is a view in plan of the preferred embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of the apparatus disclosed in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view in perspective .of'the receptacle runway and the inverting mechanism with the inverting frame slightly elevated.

.Fig. 4 is a. view in perspective, taken from the front of the apparatus, with the parts in the position as in-Fig. 3-, illustrating more fully'the controlling and operating mechanism for the inverting means.

Fig. 5 is a view in detail of the receptacle feed controlling means.

Fig. 6 is a view in plan of the rece tacle feed controllingmeans illustrated in ig.

Fig. 7 is a modified form of operating means for the inverting frame.

Referring more particularly to the several views of the drawings, wherein like charac ters of reference designate corresponding parts, 1 and 1 indicate the alined portions of a suitable inclined runway, comprising the downwardly inclined side members 2 and transverse receptacle'supporting rollers 3. The ends of the side members 2 forming the portion 1 of the runway are supported by uprights 4 and the elevated end of said portion. 1 is connected to the lower 006pe'rat-ing end of the portion 1 through suitable links 5, which permit a vertical pivotal movement of the opposite or elevated end of the portion 1 of the runway. The elevated end of the portion 1 of the runway is supported by a weight 6 adjustably mounted on a lever '7 pivoted within its length, as at 8, to a. bracket 9' carried by. a transverse member 10, supported by the uprights a, and the end'ofsaid lever is pivot- 51 y connected through a pivot 12 with a bracket 13 depending from theunderside of an end member 14 secured to the side members 2. The weight 6 is sufficient to prevent the de ressing of the free end of the runway until} e runway is full to its capacity with filled receptacles, at which time the weight of the receptacles and contents will overbalance the weight 6 and permit a slight downward movement of the runway.

'Alining with the free end of the portion 1 of the runway is a Suitable conveyor for supplying filled receptacles thereto, and for for reception in the recess 23 in the pen hcry of the disk 20. A suitable drive sproc et 24 is loosely mounted on the shaft 19 and is adapted to operate the belt 16. The sprocket 24 is provided with the cored offset 25 for the reception of the disk 20 and said offset is formed on its inner peripheral wall with the teeth 26 between which is adapted to extend .the pawl 21 when it is desired to drive the shaft 19 through powerdelivered from the sprocket 24.

To automatically control the disengagement of the driving connection between the conveyor belt 16 and the sprocket 24 to arrest the feed of the filled receptacles from the conveyer to the runway when, the runway is filled, a suitable bell crank 27 is pivoted as at 28 to a bracket on the member 10 and the end of one arm thereof is connected as at 29 to the member 14 and the end of the "other arm thereof is pivotally eonnected through a link 30 with the end of one arm of a'bell crank 31 pivoted as at 32 to swing on a vertical axis beneath one of the conveyer siderails 15. The other end of the bell crank 31 is adapted through the operation of the described connection, on the downward movement of the freeend of the portion 1 of the runway, toswing into the path of rotation of the pawl 21 and to disengage the same from the cooperating teeth 26' by forcing the awl into the recess 23, thus interrupting t e feeding ,of the filled receptacles to the runway until such time as certainof those already fed thereto are disposed of.

" "Positioned preferably at one side of the "portion 1 of the gravit runwa is a suitable mechanism for lifting the lled receptacles from the runway, inverting the same to dump the contents therefrom and for depositing the same onto the conveyer for carrying to a suitable place of deposit. The

- referable embodiment of said mechanism is illustrated more fully in Figs. 1 to 4 0f the drawings, and comprises a suitable receptacle contents receiving trough B, having a bottom member 32 downwardly inclined. from said runway and cooperating sides 33.

The trough B- is supported by suitable-uprights 34 and braces 35 and 36. f

Pivoted on ahorizontal axis, as at 37, to

brackets 38 carried by the brace 35, immediately below the receiving end of the trough B, is a receptacle engaging frame wardly comprising the arms 39 connected as at 40 with their free ends bent or curved at right angles to the main portion thereof, as at 41. The bent portions 41 of the arms 39 are adapted, when the frame is in its lowermost position, to assume a substantially horizontal position, and to be received between certain of the receptacle supportin rollers 3, as in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The receptacle inverting frame is raised and lowered on its pivot 37 to invert the receptacles to dump the contents therefrom, by a link 42 connected with a-crank 43 of the rotatable shaft 44 mounted in bearings 44' on the upri hts 3 4.

otatably mounted on said shaft 44 is a gear 45 driven by a pinion 46 carried by a rive shaft 46 and rotated in the direction of the arrow-Fig. 3, from power received from any suitable source.

A trip clutch 47, of any well-known type, capable of being urchased on the open market, adapted w en actuated to remain engaged for any iven operation and then to automatically re case, is carried by and rotatable with the shaft 44. The clutch when actuated is adapted t3 en e the hub of the gear 45 and-cause the s a 44-to make a complete revolution.

Each complete revolution of the shaft 44 raises and lowers the inverted frame, and to control said shaft to operate onl a receptacle .is within the sphere 0 movement of the inverting frame, the following mechanism is provided A trip frame 48, pivotally mounted as at 49 to one of the supports 4' projects upadjacent the lower end of the ortion 1 of the runway and within the pat of the filled receptacles, to 'be engaged by the receptacles as they overlie the arms 39: 'The upper end of the frame 48 carries an antifriction rollerv50, and at its lower end is rovided with a counterbalancing weight 51. he upper portion of the frame 48 connects through a link 52 with an arm. 53 fulcrumed as at 54 to a support 55 carried by one of the uprights 4, and the lower end of the arm 53 connects through a link 56 with one end of an arm 57 carnedby a shaft 57 retatable in bearings ries on its opposlte end a clutch operating lever 58. The free end of the lever 5800-- operates with the clutch 47 and on each forward and downward movement of the trip frame 48, due'to the momentum and weight of the filled receptacles when passing over the arms 89, actuates the clutch 47 to cause the shaft 44 and gear 45 to rotate in unison for a'complete revolution, at which time the' inverting frame will be raised and lbwered. As the filled receptacles are elevated-from the portion 1' of the runway, thus relieving,

the pressure from the upper end of the trip frame, the weight 51 causes the trip frame 57, and saidshaft car- 48 to swing upwardly and rearwardly to assume its normal position, as in Figs. 1, 3 and 4 of the drawings, and when in thisposition, the upper end of the trip frame lies at a point beneath the emptied receptacles as the same are lowered by the inverting rame, and maintains the forward end of t e inverted receptacles elevated a slight distance above the end. of a suitable conveyer 59 which is in alinemen-twith the lower'end of the portion 1 of the runway and is posithe same from the inverting mechanism to a suitable place of deposit,- comprises an endless belt-60 operastingover. supporting mem here @61- 'rotatably supported by the side frame members 62 carried by the uprights 63', the belt being driven by power received from any suitable source.

To assist the filled receptacles in their movement "toward the tri frame 48 tc in sure the-operation thereof? and also to assist the removing o f the" emptied-receptacles tacl'e within-the path o1 'movement ofthe from the inverting frame, a power driven roller 64a is preferably positioned between the side frame members 2 oi the portion L of the runway between the arms 39g and'said roller carries on its end a sprocket 65 driven by a chain 66 which operates over a. sprocket 6 on-a shaft 68 carried in shearing 69 and 1 which. is driven by thet' drive ehadt 56 "as through a beveled gear connection 7 0 To prevent the passi 01' a filled recepinverting frame, after the shaft 44 has begun its. cycle of rotation to cause the'raisin g and lowering of the inverting frame to dump the contents of the succeeding receptacles, a retaining member or arm 71 projecting upwardly from beneath the runway at a point in advance at thearms 39 is car'- ried by a shaft 7 21inbearin beneath the side members 2. An arm depends from the shaft 72 and is pivotally connected through a-link 7 5 with one end of an arm 76 secured within its length to a pivoted support 7?? and. carrying at its opposite end a roller 78 which cooperates with a cam slot 79 in the canrSfl mountedon. the shaft 44.

- It willbe' a arent on the rotatiori'oi thc shaftidd in. 'eifdire'ction of: the was in Fig; the drawings; that the 'cam'fit) will also be rotated, and incite movement" will cause the beseiedfaes thereof the roller QS'ouqWaJdIy-itnd cause the ssme to contact with the periglgralwrfite of the cum during the' con'ip of the shaft .44:-.-- The oatward movmentj ot the cam lever iorces the retaining: member or e! in main" at; meeptac e enof the retaining member, and said member is provided on its upper end with a suitable anti-friction roller 83 which permits the passage of the receptacles thereover at such time as the same is in its lowermost position. i If necessary, a suitable receptacle'retainmg brace or wire 84 may connect extend upwardl from the side members 33' of the trough and which limits the tilting motion of the receptacles when the same are in their inverted position.

In Fig. 7 of the drawings, there is illustrated a modified form of drive mechanismfor'the inverting frame and the same consists of an arm 85 pivotally mounted as at 86 to the arms of the inverting frame and carrying at its end a mutilated substantially triangular cam gear 87 which is adapted to be driven by a pinion 88 mounted on the shaft44. I i

The construction of the gear 87 is such that when the shaft-44 and gear 45rotate in the direction 'of the arrow, Fig. 7, the inframe until such time as the arms swung downwardly by the weig t of the fi led receptacle 'enga,,-

.mg'the same. The ration of the trip frame throws the clntc 47 into engagement causing the rotation of the shaft 44 for a the successive receptacles onithe' runway and complete revolution which through the inv without the path of the inverting arms 39',

during their operation The rotation of the shaft 44 causes the raising and lowerirgg of the arms 39 which lift the positioned lled receptacle, inverting the same to dump the contents therefrom and returnthe emptied receptacleto a horizontal position with one endresting on the roller 50 and the other .end om the rotating rollbr'fid; The rotation of the roller :84 the conveying of there tied receptacle on to the belt 60 which isposes of theemptied receptacle in any suitablemanner; The wei ht'5-1'is Suficicnt to restore the tripframe. 8 to the god" lied tion)" as iniFig; '1;- on the removal of the trip same to be operated by the next receptacle in order to engage the clutch for a successive complete rotation of the shaft 44 as the clutch is of-such type as to disenga on each complete rotation of the shaft. ach successive complete rotation of the shaft 44 permits the retaining arm 71 to assume its normal position as in Fig. 1 which admits of the next filled container to pass over the arms 35 and the contents to be dumped therefrom as heretofore described.

It is apparent that I have provided. a

mechanism for successively inverting receptacles to dump the contents therefrom; one provided with a mechanism controlled in such manner that if there is no receptacle within the sphere of the inverting mechanism, the said mechanism does not operate;

-one wherein the operating of the inverting mechanism interrupts the movement of the filled rece tacles toward the same, and one wherein t e feeding 'of the receptacles toward the inverting means or mechanism is controlled by the inverting of the receptacles and the disposal thereof from the apparatus, and these various featuresI wishto be understood as .claimin' -and c'overi as broadly as the stated e art will permit.

Having thus. described my invention, what I claim .as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is 1. A receptacle dumping apparatus comprising a s'ubstantiall horizontal runway for conveyin the fille receptacles, rece tacle controlle trip means within the pat of turn to normal position for in the removal thereof from the inverting means and means for receiving and carryln em tied receptacles .to a suitable place of eposit.

*2. A receptacle dumping apparatus, comprising a substant'all horizontal runway for conveyin .the filled receptacles, receptacle controlle trip means swin 'ng ona horizontal axis within the path 0 travel of the receptacles on said runway for successively inverting the same to dump the contents therefrom and for returnin the emptied receptacles to normal osltion, rotating means for cooperating with an emptied receptacle on its return to normal osition for assisting in-the removal thereof mm the inverting means, and means for receiving and receptacle actuated tri intermediate said runways and over which the filled boxes are successively conve ed in their travel from one runway to the 0 or for en ging and inverting the boxes to dump e fruit therefrom.

4. A receptacle dumping apparatus, comprising a receptacle inverting means, means or conveying filled receptacles within the sphere of the inverting means drive connections for operating said inverting means,

mechanism for throwing said drive me nism into 0 rative relation on the passing of a fill receptacle within the sphere of the inverting means to cause the invertin means to operate to dump the contents gem said receptacle, means for receiving the dumped contents of the receptacle, an means for receiving and conveying the emptied receptacles from the apparatus.

5. A receptacle dumping apparatus, comprising a receptacle inverting means, drive mechanism for operating said inverting m meansfor conve glfilledv receptacles tothemvertingme'ans ort edumpingof the contents therefrom, means actuated b the positioned receptacle to be dump for throwingsaid drive mechanism into 0 era- 'tive relation to cause a complete cyc e of from and for conveying the same to a suitable place of deposit, and a receptacle inverting mechanism intermediate said runway and conveyer for successively inverting the receptacles as conveyed on said runway to dump the contents therefrom and for pcsitio the emptied receptacles to be removed y said conveyor.

7. A receptacle dumping apparatus, comprisin a receptacle inverting means, trip contro led means for operatmg the same, means for receiving the dumped contents from the receptacles, substantially horizon- J tal means for feeding filled receptacles to be substantially in alinement with prisindumped to the inverting means, and substantially horizontal means for conveying the emptied receptaclesfrom the apparatus.

8. A receptacle dumping apparatus, comareceptacle' inverting mechanism pivote to swing on a substantially hOI'lZOII- tal axis, trip controlled means for operating the same, a substantially horizontal runway at one side of said inverting mechanism for feedin filled receptacles thereto, a substantially orizontal convc er at the other side of said inverting mec anism for conveying' the emptied receptacles therefrom, and means for receiving the contents of the receptacles as dumped therefrom.

9.. A receptacle dumping apparatus, comprising a substantially horizontal runway,

at conveyer for' feeding filled receptacles I thereto, means controlled by thereceptacles on said runway for interrupting the feedin of filled receptacles thereto, means pivote to swing upwardly on a horizontal axis for successively removing said filled receptacles from said runway and for inverting the same to dump the contents therefrom, means for receiving the dumped contents from the receptacles, means for receiving and con-' veying theemptied receptacles to a suitable place of deposit, and means for arresting the movement of the filled receptacles toward the receptacle inverting mechanism while the same is in operation.

' receptac 10. A receptacle dumping apparatus,

comprising a, runway longitudinally of which the filled receptacles to be dumped move by gravity, a conveyer for feeding filled receptacles to said runway, means for successively removing'said filled receptacles from said runway and for inverting the same to dump the contents therefrom, a power shaft, a normally disengaged driv lng connection between 'said power shaft and inverting means, a trip means actuated by a filled'receptacle as positioned to be lnvertedby said inverting means for throwing said driving connection into engagement, means for receiving the contents as dumped from the receptacle, and means for carrying the=emptied receptacles from the apparatus. Y

11. In combination with a receptacle dumping device, a run-way over which filled drive mechanism for said dumping device normally in disen aged position, of means actuate by a fille receptacle as positioned to be dumped by said dumping device for 'throwin into engaged relation the elements of said rive mechanism to permit the operation of said dumpin devlce, and means thrown into operation uring the dumping of the positioned receptacle for'retaining successive filled receptacles from movement within the sphere of operations of the dumping device during the operation thereof.

es are. fed by gravity thereto, a,

12. In combination with a receptacle conway over which receptacles are fed thereto,

means for receiving the contents as dumped from the receptacles, a substantially horizontal conveyer in alinement with said run- 1 way for receiving and conveying the emptied receptacles from the dumpin device, said conveyer being disposed in su stantially the same plane with said run-wa and means for assistin in the removal o the emptied receptacles rom the dumping means to the conveyer. l

1 4. In combination with a receptacle dumping device, a substantially horizontal runway for conveying filled receptacles thereto, means for receiving the contents as dumped -for the receptacles-a conveyer substantially horizontal y disposed in a corresponding plane and in a line with said runway for receiving and conveying the emptied receptacles from the dumplng device, and means within the path of movement of'the filled receptacles as operated by said dumping device for assistingin the removal of the emptied receptacles from the dumping means to the last mentioned 'con-' veyer.

15. A receptacle dumping apparatus,-

com prising an invertlng frame pivoted to swing upwardly on a horizontal axis, a runway within the path of pivotal movement of said frame and transversely of which said frame pivots for conveying filled receptacles to be dumped thereto, means for receiving the dumped contents from the receptac es, and means adjacent said runway for receiving the emptied receptacles from said frame and for conveying the same to a suitable place of deposit.

16. A receptacle dumping apparatus,

comprising a receptacle inverting mechanism pivoted to swing on a substantially horizontal axis, same, means tripped by a filled receptacle in passing within the sphere of movement of said inverting means for. connecting the same for movement by said operating means to invert a receptacle to'dump the contentstherefrom and for returning the empty receptacle to a substantially horizontal position, a conveyer for receiving the empty re-. ceptacle as removed from said inverting means and for conveying the same to a suitable place of deposit, and means for comeans for operating the nism pivoted to swing on a substantially horizontal axis, means for operati the same, a conve er for feeding fille receptacles to sm mvertm means, means for limiting the movement 0 a filled receptacle within the sphere of movement of the inverting means, means tripped by a filled receptacle in passing within the sphere of movement of said inverting means for connectin the inverting means for movement operating means to invert the pos1- by sai tioned receptacle to dump the contents therefrom and for returning the empty receptacle to substantially horlzontalposltion, means for restoring said actuated trip means ing means on the removal of the filled receptacle from contact therewithto a position within the ath of movement ofthe em ty receptacle in its return to a substantially horizontal position, one end limiting means, the empty receptacle as moved from sai inverting means, and means cooperating with of the empty receptacle above sai an empty receptacle in its return to substantially horizontal position by said invertfor assisting in the removal therefrom onto said last mentioned conve er.

n testimony whereof'I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

V GEORGE D. PARKER.

Witnessesr S. A. MARKS,

W. P. SHEPHERD.-

said returned trip means elevatin a conveyer for receiving 

